The invention relates to lawn tractors, and more specifically to a hopper mounted on a lawn tractor for the collection of yard waste.
Conventional lawn tractors generally include an operator seat and a mower deck housing a cutting blade. Many lawn tractors also include a hopper mounted on the tractor behind the operator seat and a duct for conveying grass clippings and yard waste from the mower deck to the hopper. During operation, the hopper is filled with yard waste and must be periodically emptied. Generally, the contents of the hopper are dumped in a pile or emptied into trash cans.
The present invention provides a hopper for a lawn tractor. The hopper includes a number of walls. The walls together define an interior space and an opening communicating with the interior space. A door is movably coupled to at least one of the walls and is movable between a closed position, in which the door substantially covers the opening, and an open position, in which the opening is at least partially uncovered. A sweep assembly is movable within the interior space when the door is moved between the closed and open positions.
In one aspect of the invention, the sweep assembly includes a frame coupled to the door and a sweep coupled to the frame. The sweep engages at least one of the walls. The sweep is preferably a flexible member and at least one of the walls is sloped downwardly toward the opening.
In another aspect of the invention, the hopper includes a latching mechanism coupled to at least one of the walls. The latching mechanism is operable to secure the door in the closed position. More specifically, the latching mechanism has a locked condition, in which the latching mechanism secures the door in the closed position, and an unlocked condition, in which the door is movable to the open position.
In yet another aspect of the invention, an actuator is coupled to at least one of the walls. The actuator is operable to move the door between the closed position and the open position. More specifically, the actuator includes a first elongated member having a first end and a second end. The first elongated member is pivotably coupled to at least one of the plurality of walls. A second elongated member has a third end and a fourth end. The third end is pivotably coupled to the second end and the fourth end is pivotably coupled to the door. A handle is coupled to the first end for pivoting the first elongated member with respect to at least one of the walls.
In another aspect of the invention, the actuator is coupled to the latching mechanism and is operable to move the latching mechanism between the locked condition and the unlocked condition.
In still another aspect of the invention, the hopper is mounted on a lawn tractor having wheels supporting a chassis and a mower deck coupled to the chassis. The mower deck houses a cutting blade. The lawn tractor can include an operator seat supported by the chassis and the actuator can be positioned adjacent the operator seat.
In addition, the present invention provides a method of operating the hopper. The method includes moving the door from the closed position toward the open position, moving the sweep assembly within the interior space toward the opening, and moving yard waste out of the interior space through the opening with the sweep assembly. In one aspect of the invention, the sweep assembly moves toward the opening at substantially the same time as the door moves from the closed position toward the open position.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.